A Democratic Socialist Blog

Recharging Democracy

Political parties are suppose to be peripheral to Democracy. The two Wall Street parties have been obedient to big business for a long time now. America has never been a Democracy and since Reagan we drifted far apart from the promise.

Richard Dreyfrus has become concerned about Civics. The Dreyfuss Civics Initiative is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that aims to revive the teaching of civics in American public education to empower future generations with the critical-thinking skills they need to fulfill the vast potential of American citizenship.

That is great, when I Graduated School 18, we received a book called the Great State Papers. It contained the Bill of Rights, U.S Constitution, and NJ Constitution. I have known for a long time now, Left Wingers and Right Wingers have no understanding or concern for Democracy. I had one year of Constitutional studies and Principals of Democracy. I have found generation after generation that those who say they are fighting for Democracy, do not even understand its essential values.

On his website, the Dreyfus Initiative he says: “The Civic Education we strive to implement is the teaching of American history, government, and civic values through the prism of the Enlightenment Era, which introduced protection of the individual, the people of a nation being the highest political power, due process of law, equality of rights and opportunity, rights of freedom of expression and worship, that were revolutionary in history.

Civic values such as civility, clarity of thought, and the importance of dissent are not inherited at birth. The ideas must be taught, and the younger the better. In light of the changing demands on the education system due to an increasing focus on Science, Math and other academics, civics has seen its allocation of time greatly diminished resulting in younger generations having little connection to our founding documents and political system.”

Dreyfuss has been outspoken on the issue of how the media influences the shaping of public opinion, policy, and legislation. In the 2000s, he expressed his sentiments in favor of right to privacy, freedom of speech, democracy, and individual accountability.

Civics is the study of the theoretical and political and practical aspects of citizenship, its rights and duties; the duties of citizens to each other as members of a political body and to the government.need quotation to verify. It includes the study of civil law and civil code, and the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government.
The Town hall meeting is another example of civics. Town hall meetings allow government representatives and members of civil society in specific voting districts meet face to face to review issues and show support or opposition to initiatives. Meetings are publicly announced and attendance is open unless otherwise stipulated.

Since localities are, like the rest of the Government, a representational Democracy, it is apparent that government is run by small business men, not the people. The government allows for slum lords, slum lord welfare in hand outs. While the people get nothing. In a Government by and for the people the Democratic Process would allow the people easy referendum and power in the Government. It does no such thing. I have been fighting for rent control for years now. City Hall see’s no reason landlords cannot make money. as homelessness and poverty grows the people must take charge of government and make government work for us.

The Occupied movement failed because it had no goals and misplayed its strategy for change. If people where more involved and Government was receptive and open to varied ideas, things would change. The people need to demand Civics and Democracy taught in schools. The general sense of apathy and following with the business model, people vote against themselves. What change can occur?

It is difficult in an “All about money world”. Social capital is a form of economic and cultural capital in which social networks are central, transactions are marked by reciprocity, trust, and cooperation, and market agents produce goods and services not mainly for themselves, but for a common good.

The term generally refers to
(a) resources, and the value of these resources, both tangible (public spaces, private property) and intangible (“actors”, “human capital”, people),
(b) the relationships among these resources, and
(c) the impact that these relationships have on the resources involved in each relationship, and on larger groups. It is generally seen as a form of capital that produces public goods for a common good.

Social capital has been used to explain the improved performance of diverse groups, the growth of entrepreneurial firms, superior managerial performance, enhanced supply chain relations, the value derived from strategic alliances, and the evolution of communities.